College Health Programs :: Investing In Your Resources

For Staff and Administrators:

One of the most overlooked and powerful applications for increased retention and GPA average is the health of your student body. If you want stats, check out two of the dozens of studies I have found that demonstrate the link (see below).

If you would like a risk-free assessment of how our highly trained staff can help you with programming, books and lectures at your institution, please contact us at info @ healthfastandcheap. com.

Source One
From the University of Massachusetts, Lowell
http://www.uml.edu/STUDENT-SERVICES/health/Final%20Executive%20Summary%20of%20Health%20Report.pdf

State of Student Health
The committee examined findings from Lowell’s participation in the National College
Health Assessment (NCHA) survey from 2001-2003. Although generally Lowell students
report behaviors and illness experiences similar to those across the nation, some important
findings are:
• Fewer than half of the students report sufficient sleep to feel rested on 4 or more
nights per week.
• Drug use (alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes) has adverse effects on academic
performance, with an increase in first use reported over the undergraduate years.
• Binge drinking is common among students (50% of both sexes) and is among
women 50% higher than the national rates.
• Academic consequences due to alcohol use, drug use, and relationship difficulties
increased with the number of reported sexual partners.
• Depression in the last school year was found to be associated with academic
consequences.
• There was a high correlation between reported health impacts on academic
performance and low GPA.
Source Two
From the California State University site:
http://www.csupomona.edu/~jvgrizzell/hc2010/acha06nho/health_academics_retention.ppt.

Specific research to overall success with relations to health promotion is limited:

Brener and Gowda (2001) found that most health promotion programs are doing well disseminating information, but that very few students are receiving information in all the topic areas identified.
Samuels and Smith (1990) at Rutgers showed the impact of a comprehensive health program on success and retention of students.  Although not conclusive, students who used health services showed higher retention rates than those who did not.
The Newest Data…
The Pilot Study
•    Large, Midwestern Comprehensive University

•    Most questions drawn from existing instruments

•    Data collected via existing process
o    Meetings with hall director
o    Paraprofessional staff

T-Test was used to compare those that participated in program or activity on health issues & GPA

•    t(235)=6.404, p<.01 two tailed test

•    r2 = .148

•    Mean GPA by group
o    Yes = 2.37
o    No = 1.61
•    Students that participate in a health-related program or activity had statistically higher GPAs than those that did not participate

•    Fifteen (15%) percent of the GPA variance can be explained by participation in health-related program or activity
Student Health & Retention
•    US Department of Education
•    Only 50% of entering earn degree
•    75% leave in first two years
•    Health status and behavior affect retention
•    Leaving university and dropping classes